Topographic chess game and method of play

ABSTRACT

A system and method for providing a topographical chess system that can enhance the variety, strategic thinking, and enjoyment of strategic board games. A set of regular, non-topographical, movable chess pieces, a chess board, and at least one topographical chess piece are provided. The at least one topographical chess piece provides a symbolic representation of a topographical feature and acts to provide a barrier or semi-barrier to the movement of at, least one regular non-topographical movable piece, thereby increasing both realism and the number of possible strategic scenarios. The topographical chess piece can represent a tree, mountain, body of water, hill, city or other suitable natural or man-made feature.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the general art of strategic board games and improvements thereof.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Of the strategic games on this planet, none has both the ancient lineage and enduring popularity of chess. Chess is believed to have originated in India around 1500 years ago, and come to Europe through Persia. Chess has remained popular for multiple centuries, both for its original purpose, to teach strategy, and is an entertainment. Though the game remains popular, chess can become limited, especially for players that have played for some time, Therefore, ways have been sought to increase the variety and methods of play.

The traditional game of Chess begins each and every time with the same setup, same flat playing field, same pieces, and same limited number of moves for each piece. Though the number of specific moves and game outcomes are vast, which has helped the longevity of the game, the traditional game of chess, because it has been studied and played so extensively, has a number of well-known strategies and gambits that masterful players can recognize and counter. The result is a game that can be predictable to at least some extent. Needless to say, once a game becomes predictable, it often becomes correspondingly less interesting. This can be particularly true in American culture, in which there is a constant demand For new and interesting diversions.

Attempts have been made to improve and modify the traditional game of chess. to keep it challenging to the players. Modifications have included, for example, featuring alternate playing fields (hexagonal boards, irregular shaped boards), adding different pieces (paladin, dragon, elephant, etc.) to the board, and adding more players (e.g., three person chess), and including additional players with additional boards and pieces (e.g., double chess).

The traditional game may have become more predictable. yet true improvement of a game that has stood for many centuries has been notoriously difficult to achieve. The problem most encountered when these changes are made to chess is that the resulting new game is paradoxically usually less interesting than the traditional game. The new aspects herein may add some complexity, hut they do not tend to add in realism, variety, or balance. In a sense, they are simply, as the saying goes, “more of the same.”

Worse, the new aspects often disrupt or distract from the game experience rather than enhance it. The addition of players usually imbalances the traditional game, either by leaving a third player to decide which of the other two players will eventually win, or by complicating the game beyond playability, as in double chess.

Further, the playing field is still flat and regular in most versions, providing little in the way of game enhancement. Even when new game boards are employed and do offer some challenges, as soon as the new pattern is discovered and played, the new board once again becomes static and well understood, quickly returning players to the original problem.

When new and/or additional game pieces are employed, the new piece, to be significant enough to change the game dynamic and make the game seem more difficult or complex, is usually made more powerful than the queen in an attempt to disrupt the traditional dominance of the queen, and is often given a bizarre jumping movement, or employs a complex capture method. Most of these new pieces add little value and distract more than they add.

Similarly, the employment of new rules to add to the dynamics usually disrupts the game more than adds value. New rules often limit an existing piece's capability, or add a new capability to an existing piece, essentially making the new piece more powerful. similar to the scenario above in which the new piece competes with the queen for dominance.

Therefore, there is a need in the art for an improved method for playing strategic board games such as chess. There is, further, a need for a way to offer a different playing field each time the game is played so that there is a resultant greater variety and challenge to game play.

SUMMARY

A topographical chess system, comprised generally of, in addition to traditional chess pieces, a board and at least one topographical chess piece, is disclosed.

The topographical pieces are designed to symbolize a given topographical feature or features. In some embodiments, the pieces are in the form of a mountain; and in some embodiments, the pieces arc in the form of a tree. However, the pieces can represent any suitable natural or even man-made obstacle-providing features such a canyon, lake or other body of water, hill, castle, city, or wall.

Similarly to other pieces in chess, such as the horse figure for a knight or the masonry aspect of a rook, each topographical piece is distinctive and representative of what it symbolizes. However, these pieces are not limited in design and can take on a number of aspects. For example, mountain pieces can have a rounded base, a square or rectangular base, or a base of any suitable shape. The design of the piece itself can be of any suitable design that conveys the representation, such as a single peak for a mountain or several peaks. Likewise, the pieces representing tree(s) show multiple types of bases supporting various tree representations.

In one exemplary embodiment, the board or playing field, is a square of squares of alternating color (or pattern) as in traditional chess. As is traditional Chess, players typically sit opposite each other relative to the board, have a lighter colored square on the right corner of the edge near them and the forward direction is toward the opposing player. As the game begins, at least one topographical piece is placed on the board. In this, particular embodiment, one of the tree pieces is used. Depending upon the agreed-upon rules, a single piece, or two, or more topographical pieces can be placed on the board.

When a topographical piece is placed on the hoard, it provides an obstacle to the pieces on the board and to the players. These added barriers and semi-barriers require navigating around or through, providing additional strategic advantages and disadvantages for each player to take into account. This adds a naturalistic element or more that an army would encounter in the real world. In battle, the field is rarely level and obstacle-free. The added topographical piece(s) add variety and contour to the of otherwise open, flat, and regular playing field. Increasing the realism of the game and adding dimension to strategic problems and possibility. The topographical piece(s) further adds balance by limiting the movement of the long range pieces while making the limited range jumping pieces that can surmount the obstacles more valuable, and while making the playing field larger as a counter-balance.

A number of things can be done, in conjunction with the topographical piece(s), to bring variety and increased dimension to the game. The size of the board can be altered to increase the area of play. In one embodiment, a twelve by twelve square board can be used, or in another, a ten by ten square board. Further, a number of topographical pieces can be added together to simulate larger natural obstacles. For example, a number of tree pieces can be placed together to a simulate a dense forest, or a grouping of mountain pieces can be placed in proximity to simulate, not just a single mountain, but a range. Also, some topographical pieces can be designated as movable obstacles while others are immovable ones.

Players can be given any suitable number of topographic piece(s). In an embodiment, each player has eight mountain pieces and eight tree pieces. There is usually no restriction on the placement location or order of placement of the topographic pieces, though agreed-upon restrictions can be reached by the players.

Because this game and method of play uses pieces to change the game, the pieces can be added anywhere on the board, allowing the playing field, and accordingly the strategy and nature of the game, to change with each game. This provides a major advantage over additions like more players or a changed board, which remain static. Topographical play with the piece(s) can allow both players to manipulate the playing field each time the game is played so that the playing field never becomes well known and predictable. One minor change in the position of one of the piece(s) can easily change the whole game dynamic, allowing or denying access (diagonal or straight) to one or another area of the board by one or more of the pieces (e.g., bishop or rook).

In the method of play using the pieces herein, the initial location of the piece(s) will likely affect the entire game, so the setup of pieces becomes an important feature of the game. This can result in thoughtful challenge even before the movement part of the game begins.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a piece from an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is another isometric view of a piece from an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 is another isometric view of a piece from an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4 is another isometric view of a piece from an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5 is another isometric view of a piece from an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 6 is another isometric view of a piece from an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 7 is a top plan view showing an embodiment of the invention in use.

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 7 with an additional piece.

FIG. 9 is a top plan view of another embodiment at the invention in use.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings. The following descriptions are made referring to the figures, wherein like reference number refer to like features throughout this description.

Turning to the figures, the topographical chess system is comprised generally of, in addition to traditional chess pieces, a board 70, and at least on topographical chess piece 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60. Turning to FIGS. 1-6, several embodiments of a number of topographical chess pieces are provided. The topographical pieces 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 are designed to symbolize a given topographical feature or features. In these embodiments, the pieces shown in FIGS. 1-3, 10, 20, 30 are in the form of a mountain; and the pieces shown in FIGS. 4-6, 40, 50, 60 are in the form of a tree. However, it is to be understood that the pieces can represent any suitable natural or even man-made obstacle-providing features such a canyon, lake or other body of water, hill, castle, city, or wall.

Similarly to other pieces in chess, such as the horse figure for a knight or the masonry aspect of a rook, each topographical piece is distinct v representative of what it symbolizes. However, as can also be seen, these pieces are of limited in design a ad can take on a number of aspects. For example, the mountain pieces represented in FIGS. 1 10, 20, 30 respectively, can have a rounded base 11, 21 as shown in the piece in FIGS. 1-2 respectively, a square or rectangular base 31, as shown in the piece in FIG. 3 or a base of any suitable shape. The design of the piece itself can be of any suitable design that conveys the representation of the piece. Turning again to FIGS. 1-3, for example, the piece of FIG. 1, 10, shows a single peak for a mountain, whereas the pieces in FIGS. 2-3 20, 30 display several peaks. Likewise in FIGS. 4-6 the pieces representing tree(s) 40, 50, 60, respectively, show multiple types of bases 41, 51, 51 supporting various tree representations 42, 52, 62. The rounded portion at the top of the singular tree pieces 40, 60 is somewhat larger than that of a pawn to avoid any confusion between the pieces.

One exemplary embodiment demonstrating the pieces in use is shown in FIGS. 7-8. Turning to FIG. 7, the board, 70 or playing field, is a square of squares of alternating color (or pattern) as in traditional chess. As is traditional of Chess, players typically sit opposite each other relative to the board 70, have a lighter colored square on the right corner of the edge near them, and ⁻the forward direction is toward the opposing player. As the game begins, at least one topographical piece 60 is placed on the board 70. In this particular embodiment, one of the tree pieces 60 is used. Depending upon the agreed-upon rules, a single piece, or two, or more topographical pieces can be placed on the board 70. The piece or pieces can be placed by one player, both players, randomly or by other agreed-upon means. Turning quickly to FIG. 8. two pieces, a tree and mountain piece 60, 80 have both been set on the board 70.

When a topographical piece 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 is placed on the board 70, it provides an obstacle to the pieces on the board and to the players. These added harriers and semi-barriers require navigating around or through, providing additional strategic advantages and disadvantages for each player to take into account. This adds a naturalistic element or more that an army would encounter in the real world. in battle, the field is rarely level and obstacle-free. The added topographical piece(s) 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 add variety and contour to the otherwise open, flat, and regular playing field. Increasing the realism of the game and adding dimension to strategic problems and possibility. The topographical piece(s) 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 further adds balance by limiting the movement of the long range pieces while making the limited range jumping pieces that can surmount the obstacles more valuable, and while making the playing field larger as a counter-balance. The natural elements represented herein help remind the players that armies in the real world have natural obstacles to work around in addition to contending with the opposing forces. This can open the minds of the players to new situations, forcing them to grow beyond the known gambits and traditional defensive patterns

A number of things can be done, in conjunction with the topographical piece(s) 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 to bring variety and increased dimension to the game. Turning to FIG. 9, the size of the board 70′ can be altered to increase the area of play. In this embodiment, a twelve by twelve square board 70′, for example, can be used, or alternatively, a ten by ten square board. If done, this increased play area would provide a counter-balance to the power of the obstacle-creating piece(s) 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 on the board 70 shown in FIGS. 7-8. Further, a number of topographical pieces, as represented by 30, 30′, 30″, 30″′, can be added together to simulate larger natural obstacles, For example, a number of tree pieces 10, 20. 30 can be placed together to simulate a dense forest, or as herein, a grouping of mountain pieces 30, 30′, 30″, 30″′, can be placed in proximity to simulate, not just a single mountain, but a range.

Returning to FIGS. 1-6, some topographical pieces can be designated as movable obstacles while others are immovable ones. Herein, the pieces 10, 20. 40, 50 with respective round bases 12, 22, 42, 52 represent movable obstacle pieces, while those pieces 30, 60 with square bases 32, 62 are considered immovable.

With the additional topographic pieces 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 in play, a typical game opens with an initial topographic placement phase and a movable piece placement phase. During the topographic placement phase (usually beginning with the player with white pieces), players alternate placing their topographic pieces on the board 70. Players can be given any suitable number of topographic piece(s) 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60. In this embodiment, each player has eight mountain pieces 10, 20, 30 and eight tree pieces 40, 50, 60. There is usually no restriction on the placement location or order of placement of the topographic pieces, though agreed-upon restrictions can be reached by the players.

1. After the topographic placement phase comes the movable piece placement phase. Beginning with the white player, players take turns placing movable pieces on the board, using typical chess rules. A notable exception is that a king cannot be placed so as to be surrounded by mountains as this would, if both players did this, lead to an unwinnable game.

Because this game and method of play uses pieces to change the game, the pieces can be added anywhere on the board, allowing the playing field, and accordingly the strategy and nature of the game, to change with each game. This provides a major advantage over additions like more players or a changed board. which remain static. Topographical play with the piece(s) 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 can allow both players to manipulate the playing field each time the game is played so that the playing field never becomes well known and predictable. One minor change in the position of one of the piece(s) 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 can easily change the whole gat dynamic, allowing or denying access (diagonal or straight) to one or another area of the board 70 by one or more of the pieces (e.g., bishop or rook). The addition of these topographical aspects prior to the movement phase of the game guarantees, or at the least makes it much more likely, that each new game will be different.

In a traditional chess game and nearly all variants, fixed piece setups are the norm and little thought is required at this stage. In the method of play using the pieces herein 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 however, the initial location of the piece(s) 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 will likely affect the entire game, so the setup of pieces becomes an important feature of the game. This can result in thoughtful challenge even before the movement part of the game begins.

The rules can be altered, as appropriate, to best accommodate use of the new topographical piece(s) 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60. For example, the rules may remain completely unaltered. Returning to FIGS. 7-8 and alternatively, the traditional rule of the pawn's double first move on the board 70 can be eliminated, along with its resulting exception, en passant. Instead pawns can be permitted to move forward or diagonal forward, allowing them to move around the topographical piece(s) 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60. Diagonal capture can be retained to minimize the changes from the traditional movement, along with no capture directly forward, meaning that pawns can still become stuck. Rule changes such as these, designed to work with the topographical pieces, can add value and help overcome some of the stranger exception rules of the traditional game of chess.

Further additions to the rules, centering around use of the topographic piece(s) 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 themselves can also be made to enhance the game. The following are examples, though not an exhaustive list, of such rules that could be added: a mountain piece 10, 20, 30 cannot be captured by either player, a mountain piece 10, 20, 30 or tree piece 40, 50, 60 does not move and blocks lateral and diagonal check, but not jumping check, and a tree piece 40, 50, 60 can be captured by either player.

As the knight is the only piece that can jump, it is the only piece that can traverse a mountain piece 10, 20, 30 and declare check from the other side. However, diagonally moving pieces can traverse the passage between two mountain pieces 10, 20, 30 placed diagonally, and declare check through the gap. On the other hand, a player, if supplied with enough mountains or trees, can create an impenetrable barrier by lining mountain pieces 10, 20, 30 in double rows that must be, as would be the case with real-life difficult terrain, worked around. Because a tree piece 40, 50, 60 requires at least a turn to capture, it is also a barrier to distant check.

By this system and method, a new dimension can be added to traditional chess, increasing the possibilities, strategy and game dynamics, variety and challenges of chess dramatically, yet without major alterations which detract or distract from the chess experience itself, such as additional players or greatly-altered game boards. This improved method of play, rather than make additions for the sake of simply making an addition, returns to the original essence of the traditional game, which is to represent armies in the field of battle. The natural physical aspects an actual army might encounter in the real world are represented, enhancing the strategic stakes and realism of the game. This is done without adding undue complexity to the rules or play. Anyone familiar with the basic rules of chess can familiarize themselves with this method and the pieces, and begin play quickly.

Further, the topographical system can have some application to other suitable board games of strategy. In another embodiment, for example, the system can be used in a game of checkers. Any suitable number of the topographic pieces 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 can be placed about a checker board to create an extra dimension of challenge, though topographical obstacles, to this simpler game.

It is to be understood that while certain forms of the present invention have been illustrated and described herein, the expression of these individual embodiments is for illustrative purposes and should not be seen as a limitation upon the scope of the invention. It is to be further understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific forms or arrangements of parts described and shown. 

1. A method for providing a topographical chess system, comprising the steps of: providing a set of non-topographical, movable chess pieces, providing a chess board, further providing at least one topographical chess piece, and configuring the at least one topographical chess piece such that it provides a symbolic representation of a topographical feature, wherein each topographical chess piece is capable, when in play, of providing a barrier or semi-barrier to the movement of at least one non-topographical movable chess piece.
 2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the topographical chess piece symbolically represents one or more mountains.
 3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the topographical chess piece symbolically represents one or more trees.
 4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the topographical chess piece symbolically represents a natural or man-made obstacle-providing feature.
 5. A method according to claim 4, wherein the obstacle-providing feature is a tree, trees, mountain, mountains, a body of water, a hill, a castle, a city, or a wall.
 6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the topographical chess piece is comprised of a base portion and a symbolic representation portion, and wherein the portion is capable of supporting the symbolic representation portion.
 7. A method according to claim 6, and wherein the base portion is square, rectangular, or circular.
 8. A method according to claim 6, and wherein the symbolic representations portion represents a natural or man-made obstacle-providing feature.
 9. A method according claim 6, wherein the at least one topographic chess piece can be movable or non-movable, and wherein a base portion having a first configuration indicates that the topographical chess piece is movable and a base portion having a second configuration indicates that the topographical chess piece is non-movable.
 10. A method according to claim 1, and providing the further step of altering the size of the chess board to increase or decrease the area of play.
 11. A method according to claim 10, and providing the further step of altering the size of the chess board from an eight square by eight square board configuration to either increase or decrease thee area of play.
 12. A method according to claim 11, wherein the size of the chess board is increased to either a twelve by twelve square board configuration or a ten by ten square board configuration.
 13. A method according to claim 1, wherein at least one topographic chess piece is movable.
 14. A method according to claim 1, wherein at least one topographic chess piece is not movable.
 15. A method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one topographic chess piece is two or more topographical chess pieces, and wherein, the two or more topographical chess pieces are capable of being grouped or aligned to create a larger harrier or semi-barrier.
 16. A method for providing a topographical game system, comprising the steps of: providing a set of movable, non-topographical game pieces, providing a game board, further providing at least one topographical game piece, and configuring the at least one topographical game piece such that it provides a symbolic representation of a topographical feature, wherein each topographical game piece is capable, when in play, of providing a barrier or semi-barrier to the movement of at least one movable non-topographical game piece, and wherein the game is either chess or checkers. 